NEEDS: Coach Ruffin McNeill is blessed with an abundance of returning talent on both sides of the ball and special teams in 2013, so he has the luxury of picking and choosing to add depth and deepen the talent pool for the future. As far as immediate needs go, bolstering a secondary that was the Achilles Heel of a defense that allowed an average of 430.7 yards and surrendered 40 or more points five times last season. On the offensive side of the ball, bringing in some line help is the top priority.

EARLY ENROLLEES: The Pirates had four signees begin classes in January, allowing them to get a head start by participating in spring practice. Kurt Benkert (6-3,205) is a QB who threw for 2,261 yards and 20 TDs with just four interceptions as a senior while earning third-team 6A All-State honors. Tristan Mumford is a 6-foot-1, 225-pound LB who also played QB for Statesville. He was a four-year varsity starter who was a Shrine Bowl selection for his play on defense. At 6-8, 330, Brandon Smith is a massive offensive lineman from East Forsyth High who earned three stars from most recruiting services and All-State honors from the Association Press. Randall Anderson, meanwhile, is a 6-4, 245 DE who spent last season at Fork Union Military Academy after earning first-team All-State honors in Delaware as a high school senior. He is an honor roll student who also runs track.

SIGNEES

Malcolm Ashley, DL, 6-4, 260, Havelock

Demage Bailey, DL, 6-5, 250, Clayton

Trevon Brown, WR, 6-3, 190, Wilmington (New Hanover)

Devaris Brunson, LB, 6-1, 210, Lake City, S.C.

A.J. Coplon, DB, 5-11, 175, Havelock

Kirk Donaldson, DE, 6-3, 250, Charlotte

Davon Grayson, WR,6-2, 175, Suffolk,Va.

Patrick Green, LB, 6-2, 200, Winston-Salem

Isaiah Jones, WR, 6-1, 170, Austin, Tex,

Terrell Lane, RB, 5-11, 225, Norton, Kan. (Hutchinson CC)

Christian Matau, OL, 6-3, 315, New Bern

Demetri McGill, DL, 6-1, 300, Virginia Beach,Va.

Mike Myers, DL, 6-0, 285, Goose Creek, S.C.

Travis Phillips, DB, 5-11, 175, Montpelier, Va.

Travon Simmons, DB, 5-10, 170, Power Springs, Ga.

Xavier Smith, DB, 6-2, 190, Raleigh

Marquis Wallace, OL, 6-5, 305, Henrico, Va. (Lackawanna JC)

Larry Williams, OL, 6-4, 290, Wilmington (Laney)

ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Jabo Lee, a 5-9, 175-pound RB from Dillon, S.C., committed to ECU all the way back in April. But on Monday, two days before he was finally scheduled to sign with the Pirates, he flipped and ended up going to Tennessee. Lee rushed for over 1,600 yards and 26 TDs as a junior before suffering a knee injury early in his senior season. The three-star recruit would have fit well into McNeill’s spread offense, but apparently the lure of playing in the SEC – even for a lower-tier SEC team – was too much to resist.

OUTLOOK: The Pirates biggest concerns last season were in the secondary and the offensive line, and McNeill and his staff addressed both aggressively. Of ECU’s 24 signees Wednesday, four were defensive backs and four offensive linemen – including super sized 6-foot-8, 330-pound early enrollee Brandon Smith. Not satisfied with enhancing only the back end of his defense, McNeill also added to the depth of an already well-stocked defensive line with six ends and tackles. Despite the emphasis on defense and line play, the Pirates still found room in this year’s class for a quarterback, a running back, a tight end and three receivers. They were also successful in convincing players to stay close to home, with 11 incoming recruits from North Carolina – including two, New Hanover WR Trevon Brown and Ashley OL Larry Williams, from Wilmington. Even with the unexpected loss of top RB prospect Jabo Lee to Tennessee, ECU has managed to put together a deep, balanced class that has the potential to keep it competitive once it leaves Conference USA for the Big East in 2014.